This Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is super creamy with 3 cheeses, lots of chopped Buffalo sauced chicken and a fantastic bleu cheese breadcrumb topping baked to a golden brown. This feeds a crowd, or halve it for a mid-week dinner, too.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoons of melted butter, Panko breadcrumbs, bleu cheese crumbles and chopped parsley. Set aside.
In a large stock pot boil pasta in heavily salted water per package directions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, cooking for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook another 2 minutes. Add the hot sauce and cut chicken, stirring to combine. Cook another 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Set aside.
In same skillet melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Add the half and half and whisk to mix thoroughly. Whisk in the hot sauce, mustard. Lower the heat to simmer and cook for 4 minutes, the sauce will thicken.
Add the sour cream, both cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, stirring to melt in the sauce. Sauce should be smooth.
Pour cooked elbow macaroni into a 13x9" casserole dish (see Note 3) coated with cooking spray. Add the chicken mixture and pour cheese sauce over all. Stir to mix in completely. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove aluminum foil, sprinkle crumb topping over all and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes or until top is golden brown and crunchy.
Video
Notes
Instead of rotisserie chicken, you can substitute 2 large chicken breasts. I poach in hot water until cooked through. Allow to cool and then chop into 1/2 inch pieces.
You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream if you wish.
Feel free to use two 9x9” square or one 13x9” pan coated with cooking spray.